"He saved her father's life," the Tamburini put in. "Her father is a
musician--and authentically marquis," she added, as though that
explained everything.
"We are Portuguese," said Cassy, "or at least my father is. He used to
play at the Metro. But he threw it up and one night, when he was coming
home from a private house where he had been giving a concert, he was
attacked. There were two of them. They knocked him down----"
"Before he had time to draw his sword-cane," the fat woman interrupted.
"Yes," Cassy resumed, "and just then Mr. Lennox came along and knocked
them down and saved his violin which was what they were after."
"It's a Cremona," said the Tamburini who liked details.
"But that is not all of it," the girl continued. "My father's arm was
broken. He has not been able to play since. Mr. Lennox brought him home
and sent for his own physician. He's a dear."
"Who is?" Paliser asked. "The physician?"
But now a waiter was upon them with a bottle which he produced with a
pop! Dishes followed to which Cassy permitted the man to help her. Her
swallow of anything became large spoonfuls of rich blackness and the
tenderness of savorous flesh. She was not carnal, but she was hungry and
at her home latterly the food had been vile.
The Tamburini, with enigmatic ideas in the back of her head, ate her
horrible dish very delicately, her little finger crooked. But she drank
nobly.
Paliser too had ideas which, however, were not enigmatic in the least
and not in the back of his head either. They concerned two young women,
one of whom was patently engaged to Lennox and the other probably in
love with him. The situation appealed to this too charming young man to
whom easy conquests were negligible.
He had been looking at Cassy. On the table was a vase in which there
were flowers. He took two of them and looked again at the girl.
"Sunday is always hateful. Couldn't you both dine with me here?"
The former prima donna wiped her loose mouth. She could, she would, and
she said so.
Paliser put the flowers before Cassy.
"Le parlate d'amor," the ex-diva began and, slightly for a moment, her
deep voice mounted.